Sustainability in Smart Farms
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2020) | Viewed by 11844
Special Issue Editor
Interests: technological innovation; viability and decision making in livestock enterprises; economic analysis and competitiveness of dairy farms (organics and conventional); sustainability of mixed systems; consumer satisfaction (cheese and other derived products)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
There is currently a progressive expansion and intensification of global agriculture and livestock, with a consequent deterioration of ecosystems. A total of 80% of farming land is replacing higher forest areas in ecosystems, with 15% of the farms oriented to commercial ends, and the improvement of the results is obtained through scale intensification.
A total of 35% of farms are small, and their development objective is to reduce poverty and inequality (gender, territories, etc.). Finally, 50% of livestock farms are subsistence-oriented and geared towards food security (food supply, health, etc.).
Medium and subsistence farms are based on fragile ecological systems with a high degree of marginality and vulnerability (Rangel-Quintos et al., 2014). They present a low level of technology, have difficulty in accessing external inputs, and are very sensitive to ecological disasters (droughts, floods, extreme temperatures, etc.), international and local economic turbulence and social problems (social exclusion, theft and insecurity, isolation from holdings, problems of abandonment of activity, lack of renewal, etc.). They often suffer from outbreaks of diseases that deplete stocks and decrease productivity of animals on the farm. Crops are planted in marginal areas, unsuitable for other agricultural uses where there is a regular shortage of low-quality pasture and fodder (FAO, 2018).
Improving a farm’s production model by combining sustainability with smart farms is a big challenge. Faced with further intensification, the development of models arises according to the ecosystem within a blue economy approach. Low-input systems which provide healthy and sustainable food and contribute to maintaining biodiversity and territorial competitiveness emerge. Technological innovation, smart farms, organic farming, integrated production, sustainability, conservation, competitiveness, circular economy, and dynamic capabilities, among others, are the key words that consider these new systems.
This Special Issue is focused on sustainability in smart farms. It is mainly oriented to small and subsistence producers who need more technical support and develop very heterogeneous systems, use different species, and become the conservators of ecosystems and genetic biodiversity. Contributors from different fields are invited to submit their articles in this topic.
Prof. Dr. Antón García-Martínez
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- mixed livestock systems
- sustainable livestock
- smallholders
- livelihoods
- rational territory management
- livestock heritage
- biodiversity
- local productions
- livestock products of differentiated quality
- open innovation and precision livestock production
- use the crop residues and by product in livestock
- use of social networks in small farms
